Kemi Badenoch: Nigerian police told to boycott work for 24 hours

MURIC tackles Kemi Badenoch.

Published By: Michael Adesina

By Ipe Abanloka

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised the Nigerian Police Force to boycott work for 24 hours whenever Kemi Badenoch enters Nigeria.

The director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, dropped the tongue-in-cheek request on Wednesday, 18th December, 2024, while reacting to Kemi’s accusation against the Nigerian Police Force.

In an interview with The Free Press, Kemi who is a Nigeria-born leader of the British Conservative Party, accused the officers of Nigerian Police Force of stealing her brother’s watch and shoes.

Kemi was asked whether she trusted the British police and she said: “I do. My experience with the police in Nigeria was very negative, and coming to the UK, my first experience with the police was very positive. The police in Nigeria would rob us.

“I remember the police stealing my brother’s shoes and his watch. It’s a very poor country, so people do all sorts of things.”

Reacting to the allegation, MURIC asked Kemi to ensure she brings British policemen from the United Kingdom when coming to Nigeria.

The group defended the Nigerian Police Force but also dropped an “advice” that may not go down well with many Nigerians.

The statement from MURIC reads:

“The Nigeria-born leader of the British Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, recently accused men of the Nigeria Police of stealing her brother’s shoes. She therefore elected to descend on the whole Nigeria police force as well as her fatherland.

“We would like to ask this woman if she could bring British police with her whenever she decides to come to Nigeria since she has no faith in our police force. At the same time, we would like to ask the Nigeria Police to withdraw their services for 24 hours only the day Kemi Badenoch enters Nigeria in order to teach her a lesson. At least that will enable her to know what it looks like to have no police in town.

“Kemi Badenoch has been myopic and parochial in her assessment of our policemen in particular and the country in general. How can she judge thousands of policemen by the behaviour of only one of them? It is sheer stereotyping.

“Unfortunately for her, she has failed to see beyond her nose as the Nigerian policemen are known to have performed heroic deeds while her own British police are known to have soiled their reputation with shocking criminal behaviours.

“A Nigerian police patrol van stopped to help a stranded driver conveying two ladies who ran out of fuel. The policemen had an extra five litres and they gave the stranded driver, waited for him to pour it in his car’s tank and did not leave until the driver started his car and took off.

“This was in Sura area, Lagos in September 2017 and those policemen were not from Britain. They were proudly Nigerian policemen. (https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2017/9/how-nice-police-officers-stop-to-offer-stranded-driver-carrying-two-ladies-five-liters-of-petrol.html.html).

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“At around 1.15 am on 6th November, 2020, police officers on patrol around Funso Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos, found a woman with a kid stranded in a SUV car. Her car battery had gone flat. They helped jump start the car and still followed her to a safe spot close to her house. That woman could have been anybody. She could have been Kemi Badenoch (https://www.gistreel.com/police-officers-help-woman-stranded-with-her-kids-in-the-middle-of-the-night-in-lagos/).

“A grateful Nigerian has narrated his experience concerning the kind treatment he received from men of the Nigerian Police (not British policemen). He said and we quote, ‘I was driving on third mainland bridge and had a flat tyre just before the Yaba turning. As I pulled off the road to change the tyre, a police man approached me asking what the problem was.

“’Before long he had called his colleagues and they were helping me change my car tyre. I must confess, I was a bit uncomfortable seeing the officer getting down to change the tyre while I assisted.
After changing the tyre, they gave me a pack of sachet water to wash my hands, then I was waiting for their next move…
To my surprise they simply wished me well as I continued my journey, absolutely no request or demand for anything.’ (https://www.nairaland.com/4683648/how-nigeria-policemen-helped-me).

“There are many similar stories of heroic behaviour exhibited by Nigerian policemen but space will not permit narrating all. However, the following links will take readers to some of the stories (https://www.politicaleconomistng.com/3-policemen-help-stranded-commuter-change-car-tyre-reject-n3000-tip/; https://www.pulse.ng/articles/news/local/businessman-rewards-policeman-who-rejected-naira150m-bribe-with-land-2024072706553098377;

https://www.nairaland.com/6341204/rejected-n864m-policeman-never-took;

https://www.legit.ng/people/1449645-4-times-nigerian-police-officers-surprised-ordinary-citizens-their-kind-deeds-strangers/).

“MURIC as a group had a unique opportunity to experience the gallantry, efficiency and professionalism of the Nigerian Police when the luxurious bus conveying one of our members was attacked near Abuja on the night of 18th December, 2016. The driver was shot and killed for refusing to stop and the occupants fled into the bush.

“It was only the telephone number of our member that we sent to the police and she was traced and rescued in the bush with other passengers within one hour. (https://muslimrightsmuric.blogspot.com/2016/12/muric-commends-police-sss-for-rescue-of.html; https://authenticnewsdaily.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/muric-commends-police-dss-on-rescue-of-robbery-victims/).

“Is it the same Nigerian Police that Kemi is denigrating? Tomfoolery knows no social status. On the contrary, the whole world is today laughing at the British police whom Kemi Badenoch praises to high heavens. Police misdemeanours in Britain have turned its police force to a laughing stock.

“A record 593 British police officers were fired in 2024 for gross misbehaviour. Earlier in 2023, a Metropolitan Police officer, David Carrick, was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for committing dozens of rapes and sexual offences against 12 women (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/5/record-600-police-officers-sacked-for-misconduct-in-england-and-wales).

“The population of the British police as of March 31, 2024, is 147,746. Kemi Badenoch’s British Police have a credibility problem if a whole bunch of 593 has morality challenge out of this number.

“Andrew Kersley has chronicled dozens of shocking and shameful crimes committed by British policemen against women in particular (https://bylinetimes.com/2024/01/04/a-culture-of-failing-to-protect-women-the-shocking-stories-of-police-misconduct/).

“We urge the Nigeria Police to forge forward. They should not be deterred by negative comments of Kemi Badenoch and her minions, her bootlickers and court jesters. They are mere distractions. In spite of the existence of a few bad eggs in the force, Nigerian policemen have every reason to raise their heads high. Which sector of the Nigerian society is full of saints only? Who will cast the first stone (John 8:7)?

“To Kemi Badenoch we have this to say, ‘It is clear you do not need the services of ‘thieves’ as you called our police force. But is it possible for you to bring your British Policemen with you whenever you contemplate coming to Nigeria? Anyway, the Tories are wise politicians and they know when to tender apologies even if you do not.’”